Self-contained envelope opener and contents ejector



July 7, 1953 G. wElTzNER 2,644,634

snm-CONTAINED Euvmops OPENER vAND coNTENTs EJEcTo'R Filed prf-i1 22. 1950 2 Sheets-Shept 2 i; LIP.

The. a-- .TEA

DIRECTIONS IN1/avran- EEf-E- GEzA WEITZNER Patented July 7, 1953 SELE-CONTINED ENVELOPE OPENER, 'AND' CONTENTS EJECTOR,"

GezazWeitznel'.; New York, N. .Y.

Application' ApriLZZ, 1950, Serial No.l 157,506 (o1. z29-86l1- 1 Claim;

This invention relates to" new and` useful 'im-J More particularly," the present invention 'prof' poses a novel envelope construction which wvill" completely enclosel an insertedertiole ,and which'. is provided With` meansiarranged in a manner so thatjthe envelopema'y be quickly openedandth'e article' removed. fromlthe. envelope. all in oneY mo-v tion Without the necessity'oftouching'the 'article to' remove it from. the' envelope.

Another. `object of the'presentinvention; proposes the constructionvl of 'an Yenvelopecharactera ized Abyan envelope loo'dvwhich` may loe'designed to completely'enclose'and .keep cleanl suchV artis' cles tasletters', greeting cards forbirthdays andthe" like; advertising circulars, "tea -bagsf different' types of surgical dressin'gsf-Ba'nd'-Aids"and the like and other similariarticles"whichcan. be' coniveniently. placed within 'an' envelo-pe.

A further obj ect of the'v present 'inventionproposes providing the'zenvelope bo'dyiwitli :'a string which 'has one end`.projected to the" exterior' of f the" envelopebody'throughetleast onecpening i formed thereinin a manner'so that. bythesimple yexpedient of pulling. thatrprojected' end of the string theenvelop'e'bodyi'will lieopenefdafter` it .has .been closed;

The Ypresent invention further proposes "several" different methods of'securing the otheror innerj end` o-fthestring to the articlecont'ained'ivvithin thev .envelope bodyso that continiied pulling onv the string after theenvelope bodyhas'beenopenede will'c'ause the article topull outof"theopen'sidefof the envelope bodyeliinin'ating" the necessity;

of touchingithe'" article `to removedt from the envelope'. body."

manner that 'a convenient. hand-hold'maybel had on :'tliat" opposite" side? while pulling` thel string- Without'gripping the" adjacent side'of `the con-= tainedarticle `in a manner fsothatthe article-is alwaysfreejtobe pulled out of the envelope lo'oclyf"A AA .still further v. obj ect4 of" them present invention` proposes 'novel meansV for attaching-the projectedoneendo'f 'the `string to the' outside ofthe envelopebody in a manner'to :prevent unintended` pulling of thatprojected end `of the' string.

It isa furtherobject ofthe present inventionto provide envelopes lliavingI thev advantagesdsetl forth" above which is 1simplel and 'durable and whichcanbe' manufactured and sold-at a reasonable costi* 'Fori"further""comprehension" of the '-inventi'on,

and' of 'theobljects fandadvantages thereof; fref- "5- erence"Will"be"-had tolthe following description and' accompanying drawings, and to 'the-appended f claim in which the various novel features fof-therI invention are more kparticularly 4set forth? v In the accompanying' drawingsformin'g a. mais?. terial part of this disclosure: 'Y Fig? '1 i's fa *fro'ntfelev'ationalviewI of ani envelopeconstructed' inaccordan'ce' with? the present4 me vention.Vv Fig'.- 2 isa rear perspective `View of f-l. v Fig is a rear elevationalview, butawith the. flap of theenvelope inits'open position prior' to being sealed' shut. f Fig". 4 is Van enlarged partial 'longitudinal see-a-v l tional view takenon the line4-4 of 'Figi 3.

Fig.4 5 is an enlarged detailed lviewo-f a portionb of Fig. -3.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detailed view, Withapartff Athereof broken away,` ofanother portion of iFig. e

Figi 4'7 Vis 'an enlargedY partial flongitudirialfsec tional view taken' on* thel Aline' .1-'1` of "l'ig.-:3.

Fig. 8 is any enlarged sectionalviev'v taken-von:A the' line 8-2-8`OfFg'3. -1 Fig'.l 9 is a rear elevational'view ofan-envelope-i constructed 'in' accordancefwitha modication'of the'present: inventionw y Fig'. 10"is a View similartosa porti-on of :Fig..f9,- but 'with the closurerflapxin fits opencrpositionvv prior torbeing sealeclshutz'VV Figi 1l is 'an'. enlargedv sectionalviewrtakenronw:. theline lI-LHofFi'g'f-IO: 'f

Figs 12" is a front elevationalfviewf of fean'zen-c' 1 velopejconstructed inaccordance With'asti'l'l fur ther modification' of thefpresent invention andffor"A containinga tea laag.v Y' y Fig. l13 is a rear elevational View of '12;*1

Figglfl; isenlarged detailed-view of a portion of., Fig. 13`.,.Witha portion thereof broken; avvayjr` tosreveal interior constructions? h Fig. ,15..is 'a perspective.viewfofpthe rteef/bag vafter. being .removed .from the envelope illustrated in. Figs. ,12. tot-11i.v l. v

Fig.l6. is a..rear elevationpf `a modi'cation; of .-the @envelope vforacontaining ,a greeting. card; and .with va portion thereoibrokenaway, to reveal. interior :constructionsm Fig: E17-is .fa vievvnsimilargto Fig...16, .but.illus:. trating the envelope prior tobeingsealedshiit and with a portion thereof broken-.fawayntocreveal... interiorfrconstructions; 1.

Fig';'.:18 is-a rear; elevational view-of the card., to be'zused' inthe: formfof the invention-illustratedin -Figsff-"lff.and d'7.:4

Fig. 19 is an enlarged cross sectional view takenv Fig. 20 is an enlarged sectional View taken on the line 20-20 of Fig. 18.

The envelope, according to the first form of the present invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 8, includes an envelope body formed of paper material as is generally known in the art to which the present invention pertains. The front face of the envelope body 25, see Fig. l, is `plain for the name and address of the addresser 2B. the name and address of the addressee 21 and the usual stamp 28 so that the envelope can be used to mail a letter, advertising circular or similar article'29 positioned within the envelope body 25.

As clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3, one end of the envelope body 25 is open and formed'vvith a closure ilap which is to be used for closing the open end of the envelope body after the article 29 has been placed therein. The inner face of the free edge portions of the closure flap 30 is provided with the usual mucilage 3|, see Figs. 3 and 8, `for sealing the closure flap in its envelope closing position.

The end of the envelope body 25, opposite the closure flap 30, is sealed together by an intervening layer of mucilage 32. see particularly Fig. 4, and the application of pressure forming indentations 33 on the two faces ofthe envelope body, as shown in Figs. 1 to 3. Sealing together that opposite end of the envelope body 25 retains the inserted article 29 from being inserted completely to that end of the envelope bodysee Fig. 4,Y

providing a convenient hand hold at that opposite end of the envelope body for a purpose which willbecome clear as this specification proceeds.

Novel means is provided in connection with the closure flap 30 whereby one simple motion can be employed for opening that end of the envelope body and for' withdrawing the article 29 from within the envelope body 25. That means is comprised of a tab 34 which is loosely adhered to the inside face of the closure ap `30 by a weakly adhering mucilage 35. formed of a piece of cloth material to be relatively strong and the mucilage 35 is a relatively weak one so that the tab can be pulled free of its attachment with the closure flap 30 very easily. The

The tab 34 is preferablyv 4 the inner face of the junction of the envelope body 25 and the closure flap 30 to the corner of the envelope at the other side of the closure flap, At that corner at the other side of the closure flap 30, the string continues into an outer end portion 31-d projected to the exterior of the envelope body 25 through a notch 4I, which is similar to the notch 40.

Means isvprov'ided for securing the projected outer end portion 31d of the string 311 to the outer face of the closure iiap 30 so as to retain the string against being accidentally pulled. vThat securing means comprises a sticker 42 of destroyable paper provided on its inner face with a layer of mucilage 43, see Fig. 8, by which the sticker is secured to the outer face of the closure flap 30 over the projected outer end portion 31d of the string 31, as shown in Fig. 2.

y The rear face of the envelope body 25, see Figs. 2 and 3, carries suitable indicia for indicating the manner of opening theenvelope. That indicia is preferably imprinted on the .envelopebody 2 5l Hold Here imprinted adjacent those indenta ""tions 33 on the back face of the envelope body 25.

Thus, the envelope body 25 is to be held inV one hand at the indentations 33 so that the envelope."

body Will be gripped without at the same time ,gripping the article 29 which is to be Withdrawn -from the envelope body 25. v Extending from the words To O pen thereis a second imprinted ar-' row 45 pointing to the words Pull String printed on the outer face of the closure ap 30 ad- 35-` .jacent the anchored outer end portion 31d Vof the Lstring 31, indicating that the outer end portion of the string is to be pulled.

The manner of using the envelope of the present invention is as follows: y

The addresser after suitablyl addressing the AJfront face of the envelope bodyand afixing the exposed face of the tab is provided with a layer of strong mucilage 36 which is to be moistened at f which the tab 34 will adhere itself in the closed position of the closure flap 30 is indicated by the dot and dash lines 34a in Fig. 3.

Arranged in connection `with the tab 34 and forming part of the envelope opening Vand article ejecting means, there is a string 31. The string 31 has its inner end 31a, see particularly Fig. 6, passed through a holel 38 formed 4in the free edge portion of the tab 34 and tied into a knot securely attaching that inner end 312L to the tab. The string 31 then continues into a short portion 31b projected through an aperture 39 formed at the junction of the envelope body 25 and the closure flap 30. That short portion 31b projects along the 'outside face of the junction of the envelope body 25 and the closure ap 30 to an adjacent corner of the envelope.

At that adjacent corner of the envelope, the string 31V extends into the envelope body 25 through a small notch 43, see particularly Fig. 5, and has a long portion 31 which extends alongpostage stamp 28, then inserts his letter, 'advertisl Simultaneously, the mucilage 36 will adhere the tab 34, since the tab is loosely adhered to the inner face of the flap 30 by the mucilage 35, to the area on the article 29 indicated by the dot and dash lines 34EL in Fig. 3. The envelope is then ready to be posted in the usual manner.

he follows the instructions imprinted .on the back of the envelope body 25 for opening. thesarne...

First, the envelope body 25 is gripped in one hand at the indentations 33.l Then, with theother hand, the addressee pulls the outer e'ndfportion 31d of the string 31 breaking the destroyable sticker 42. Continuance of. the pulling .on the string 31 will rst sever the junction of the `envelope body 25 and the closure Aflap 30 opening "that end of the envelope bodyY Y25 between the inner ends of the notches 40`and 4| for the withdrawal of the article 29. As pulling on the string face of the closure ap 30 due to its attachment to that inner face by the weaker mucilagey 35.

However, as the tab 34 hasbeen adhered tothe When the envelope is received by the addressee,

accessed y article 2Srbyrtheestrongeremncilagerlp. atrithe'ce time that the closure flap 30 was closed,:thaic continuancecof-tlre pulling one ztl'x; stringi. 3 'l vvill caus'eathe articlel frito 'tbe withdrawnofrom fthe;I

envelopeibodttlthrougheitheopen .enduthereof-x. 5 f

Since stheenvelopeybddyi ewasibeingeheld a thejndentations3;1the:articlef2 5 .Wastnot'rbein gripped;- land .wasifreeitoibez'pulledz frometheren ,Y velope body by the string 31...

Heretoforeait fhas been icustomary where-.openzlo' envelopeacam befopened :andi the contents removed .f 204 asnone. continuous.zoperation'fvvithoutfbeings sub-t; Y jected iiothenannoying cuts freceivedawhenreach#iY ingzintoaconventionally zrconstructed; yenvelopesftor.` remnverthe contents.;-

In Athe imodicationz of .'.thelinvention `illustrated: i 25 in Figse to :11, the construction@of:theienvelopgtw is similar 'toethat;` previously describediuiiering; merely.=i1ithe means orianchoringithe outenfeniilvu portion :3751 of;theistringzS'It'itotzretainfvit against 1: being,accidentallvzpulledai 30 The .-;securing:.;means3 of morlication;` isf; characterized byfthezfactrthat:theiouterend pore;-v tionzS '1F11 of: theastringfai 'l zaiter beingmro'jected 1 to the 1 exterior:I of; theienyelepe: body-l 5'; through.:n the;i'iotclr'r Ir; is benitaboutth'e adjacent edge-por-f-r 35 tiert-nr` the-diep: and: secnredzt the' inni-:r:faces.;l thereof rbyea Y des-troyable papen sticker .f42-;.having: mucilage 43 on its innersrzffaceifanchoring:that; outersendportion llibetween the adjacent faces of the envelope body 25 and the nap 30 with the 40 free \end/L proi ec'ting'irombetween-.i th'ose'f faces, as shown infFig.-f;9,-so:that a grip can be had thereon.

From Figs., 10 and 11, it is 'apparent thatpthe the eXpQSeCl face ortlre'stickefr 42.*"50 that: allif thev freeedges of'theiiapjvfil'l be secured V,toi the envelope bodywhenthe closure 'flap is'inits envelope closing;positionc.r

In other. respects the vformncf the inventionillustrated in.Figs. 9 to l1 is similareto thatsillus'- trai'ed-inlEigs,...` l to 8 and like reference numerals identify'likeparts in all of the views-.e

In the modification of the present invention shown in Figs. 12 to 15, the article 29 inserted 55 into the envelope body 25' is in the form of a conventional tea bag.A The inner end portion 3'!a of the string 3l is secured to the tea. bag by the usual rust resistant staple 46, see Figs. 14 and 15.

Attached to the outer end portion 37d of the string 31", by means of a staple 41, is the usual tag 48 which is not adhered to the envelope body 25'. The front face of the envelope body 25 is imprinted with the name of the packer of the tea and pertinent data on the brewing of the tea, While the back face of the envelope body 25 is imprinted with the instructions for opening the envelope as in the previous forms of the invention.

The construction provides a convenient envelope for completely enclosing the tea bag 29 retaining the same clean and at the same time, by gripping the tag 48 and pulling thereon the string 31 is caused to open the envelope body 75 andet'onvvithdraw;:theffteatbamZeliifronmtlie' velopeibody 25'ewitlnthettagdlsetitl igrippecllli onesrhandefonimmersings the:;;tea,=;bagninofhot water Without fever-Shaving Aton'handle thezteaebag In.T otherf.respects; etheuformc of: the. invention illustrated 'n`Figs.;.12 to2151 is also similarftofthatcrillustrated ini-.Figa 1 .tofz8.andiiikefreferencevnuei! meralsrare used1throughcut1 tofi'dentify lilie'ipartsir` In'rth'e rlnal fmodication .of ltl-re'present.rinveneif tioneisillustratedf':inl-:Figs:1:1Seto; 20g'lthe' enveloped# is designed primarily for use with greeting i. cards-sofi the-.type -usedffon birthdaysffvalentineis DayyrEaster, `Thanksgiving D'ayea'nd` Christmaseeeor the like which are imprinted on relatively stii' card-board v T h'e one end of=tlrfenvelope bodyihas itsim layers securedtogether by-'meanaofa mucila'g ork the' --lil'iewandrprovidedy with indentations'fM on` theftv/ofaces'-thereoffproviding ay handho'ldf as 1 inthe previous`-4 forms' of-the'i invention@ A 'string 55 i hasv 1an innereendLportion-155aseie cured to the rear face of the JgreetirigacardriSBif-v adjacent '-one i eor-nerthereof by 1 means or aytabv 56 rormedeof cloth 'or otherrelativelystrongma I terlalf- Theinneriacerof ftheltab- 55 isprovide with'a layerof mucilage lfsee FigsZOg-by which it is adhered tothe greetingcardtandthelinnerf end'porticn 4551er the string-55if Ther-exposed* face ofthe'ta'b is iccloredaredyas shown in` Fig'l 8;'-and the backbtheenvelepe is imprinted adjacentone `cornen'vvi-th'fav redeinarker# 581 see` Figs 6 and" 17; "indica-ting 1that whenthe" card' 53 i is properly positioned Within 'the-'envelopeibdd llthe red--coloredf-tab 'ES-ivill be vlocated'beneat 14 themedemarke'r'i- Y `V The end of the envelope-fbodyadjacenttheA red-inarkerr-58-is formed-With a slit l`or opening r l-fwhiche extends from-"the adjacent corner*V tov/ardI th'e flap {5F-for a considerable distance?- pastf'th-at redmarker 582g" The Louter end portion 55bof the string,- 55"-'is `projected to' the exterior e of -theifenvelope bodyf 50 through aV notch '-Gfcut in "thef saidi-endof thefenvelope ibodyladiacent Mounted on the outer end portion 55b of the string 55 there is a destructible sticker 6l forming means for securing the outer end portion 55h to the envelope body 50, at the back thereof, so that the string will not be accidentally pulled. That sticker 6l is formed of superimposed layers Bla and Glb of destructible paper which are secured together with the outer end portion 55b sandwiched therebetween by means of a layer of mucilage 62. The exposed face of the sticker layer (ila is formed with a layer of mucilage 63, see Figs. 18 and 19, by which the sticker can be secured to the rear face of the envelope body 50.

The outer face of the sticker layer Bib is colored blue and the back face of the envelope body is imprinted with a blue marker 64, see Fig. 17, indicating where the sticker 6I should be adhered to the envelope body 50 by the mucilage 63. Extending from the blue marker 64 to the corner of the envelope body 50 provided with the notch 60, the back face of the envelope body Y is'imprinted with a line 65, see Fig. 17, indicatingV 50 and the front face thereof is plain to have the address material written thereon and the stamp adhered thereto, all as in the case of the first form of the inventionillustrated in Figs.

The manner of using the modification of the invention illustrated in Figs. 16 to 20 is as follows:

With t'he greeting card 53 removed from the envelope body 50 as shown in Fig. 18, the front face thereof, not shown, is signed and with the envelope properly `addressed, the card 53 is slipped into the envelope body so that the red colored tab 56 will be beneath the red marker 58 imprinted lon the back face of the envelope body. With the sticker 6| located outside of the envelope body 50, the string 55 is engaged into the notch 60, as shown in Fig. 17, and the mucilage 52 on the flap 5I is moistened for sealing the flap in its closingposition. The mucilage 63 is then moistened and the sticker BI is adheredto the back face of the envelope body 50 over the blue marker 64. The back of the envelope will then appear as shown in Fig. 16 and The addressee upon receiving the envelope follows the printed instructions on the back of the envelope for opening the same. Ihe envelope body 50 is gripped in one hand at the indentations 54 and the projected outer end 55b of the string 55 is pulled free from beneath the sticker 6|. at the indentations 54 the string 55 is pulled away from the envelope body to open the end of the envelope body between the Iadjacent ends of the notch 60 and the slit or opening 59. Further pulling of the string 55 will withdraw the card 53 from within the envelope body 50 through the open end thereof. f

In this last form of the invention, it is essential that the slit or opening 59 be extended well into the envelope body 50 so that the inner end of that slot or opening will be beyondrthe attached inner end 55a of the string 55. This is necessaryV as the ability of the string to slit open the closed end of the envelope body 50 becomes greatly reduced the closer the operating portion While still gripping the envelope body 50 of the string approaches the lattached end thereof. Y Y

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do'not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved tofall changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

Having thus described lmy invention, what I claim as new and desire. to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

An envelope comprising an envelope body, sealed at one end thereby shortening the cavity in the envelope body, a ap at the other end thereof to be folded over the envelope body, a tab weaklyglued to the inner surface of said flap, vsaid tab including a strong mucilage layer on the outer free surface thereof, a draw string secured to said taband extending through an" aperture in said flap adjacent the envelope body and then around the outer surface of said flap adjacent where the same is secured to the body of the envelope and then in Aa. notchv in one corner adjacent the edge of the body of the envelope and the flap point of connection and then to the inner side of said flap along the point of connection of the flap and body of the envelope to a -notch diametrically removed from the rst mentioned notch between the tab and body of the envelope and then to the outside of the envelope body to overlay the iiap and be secured thereto whereby, W-hen the flap is sealed, t'he tab on the flap will adhere to an inserted article in the envelope by the strong mucilage surface on References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 776,712 Wilson Dec. 6, 1904 912,140 Levy Feb. 9, 1909 2,087,236 Anders July 20, 1937 2,101,225 Rambold Dec. 7, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 320,768 France 1 Aug. 23, 1902 705,164 France v Mar. 3, 1931 851,724 France Oct. 9, 1939 

